What tells you spring is here – The calendar, crocus in bloom, warm sun?? For many of us, it’s the arrival of birds that we’ve missed all winter. In the past month, the Common Redpolls, Bohemian Waxwings, and Snowy Owl have left our southern climate to head north to nest. Some of the birds we see only in spring and fall migration are arriving in our yards – American Tree Sparrow and Fox Sparrow are two being reported lately. Then there are birds that will nest in our Valley and the rest of the Northeast. Probably the bird that means spring is really here is the Red-winged Blackbird. The males arrive first and will frequent feeders for a little while. Trees full of males and females were seen April 7, the males have been here almost a month.

Robins are everywhere, the male American Woodcock is doing his peent and skydance at dusk and dawn, Eastern Bluebirds have been checking out nest boxes, Song Sparrows are belting out their song all day, and today I saw my first Eastern Phoebe. Reports of Tree Sparrows, Kildeer, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are showing up on VTBird listserve.
Soon the warbler reports will come in.

Among the birds that grace our Valley all year, Black-capped Chickadees have been singing their spring song for awhile, Downy, Hairy, and Pileated Woodpeckers are drumming and calling, American Crows and Common Ravens are nesting, so are Barred and other owls, Dark-eyed Juncoes are very plentiful in the yard, male American Goldfinches are turning brilliant yellow.

During the next two months, there will be new arrivals every few days and we will be scrambling to keep up with them all.

Good luck and happy birding. Join Mad Birders to enjoy some of these birds together.